Raman Microspectroscopy for Forensic Purposes and Medical Diagnostics

Event Overview

Raman microspectroscopy combined with advanced statistics is uniquely suitable for characterizing microheterogeneous samples. Understanding the structure and (bio)chemical composition of samples at the microscopic level is important for many practical applications including material science, pharmaceutical industry, etc. We have recently demonstrated a great potential of Raman hyperspectroscopy for forensic purposes and disease diagnostics. In this webinar, we will discuss the development of a new, noninvasive method for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnostics based on Raman spectroscopy of blood. Near infrared (NIR) Raman hyperspectroscopy coupled with advanced multivariate statistics was utilized for differentiating patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, other types of dementia and healthy control subjects with more than 95% sensitivity and specificity. When fully developed, this fast, inexpensive noninvasive method could be used for screening at risk patient populations for AD development and progression.

Raman spectroscopy has already found numerous applications in forensic science providing confirmatory identification of analytes. The technique is non-destructive, rapid and requires little or no sample preparation. Furthermore, portable Raman instruments are readily available allowing for crime scene accessibility. We have recently demonstrated that Raman microspectroscopy can be used for the identification of biological stains at a crime scene indicating the type of body fluid. In addition, peripheral and menstrual blood as well as human and animal blood can be differentiated. Phenotype profiling based on Raman spectroscopy of dry traces of body fluids is the next exciting challenge. We will also discuss the application of Raman spectroscopy for detection and characterization of gunshot residue (GSR).

At the end of this webinar, you will:

Raman hyperspectroscopy and advanced statistics is a universal tool for differentiating various classes of microheterogeneous (bio)chemical systems.

Raman spectroscopy has a great potential for revolutionizing practical forensic science.

A universal nondestructive method for forensic serology based on Raman microspectroscopy and advanced statistic allows for the identification of body fluid traces, determining the time since deposition and phenotype profiling (sex and race determination).

Raman microspectroscopy and advanced statistic shows a great promise as an alternative tool for the detection and identification of gunshot residue for forensic purposes.

Raman hyperspectroscopy and advanced statistics is a universal tool for disease diagnostics.

Presenter

Igor K. Lednev, PhD.
Professor
Unversity of Albany, State University of New York

Igor K. Lednev is a professor at the University at Albany, State University of New York. He received his Ph. D. from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russian Federation in 1983. He worked at several leading laboratories around the world prior to coming to the University at Albany, State University of New York in 2002. Prof. Lednev’s research is focused on the development and application of novel laser spectroscopy for biomedical and forensic purposes. To name a few accomplishments, he developed a new approach for the noninvasive, early diagnostics of neurodegenerative diseases and novel methods for the detection and characterization of biological stains, gunshot residues, hair and other trace evidence recovered at a crime scene. The fundamental research is focused on understanding the structure and formation mechanism of amyloid fibrils, protein aggregates related to neurodegenerative diseases. A new type of protein folding-aggregation phenomenon, spontaneous refolding of amyloid fibrils, and supramolecular chirality related to fibril polymorphism were discovered. Lednev co-authored over 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He served as an advisory member on the White House Subcommittee for Forensic Science. He is a Fellow and a Governing Board member of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. Dr. Lednev received several awards including the Research Innovation Award from Research Corporation and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. Lednev is on the editorial boards of four scientific journals including Forensic Chemistry and Journal of Raman Spectroscopy.

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